“What are you reading?” University Staff & Faculty Book Discussion

On Tuesday, February 7th, Fairfield University staff and faculty gathered at the Library for a lunchtime conversation about reading. The discussion began with a few inspiration quotes about the power of reading, and an introduction to "One Book One Town", the Fairfield community's annual shared reading campaign. The concept is that everyone in the town reads the same book and participates in discussions and events through the month of March. Staff from the Fairfield Public Library, Fairfield Museum & History Center, Fairfield University Bookstore and Fairfield University serve on the "OBOT" committee, and choose two books for 2017. They are: Books for Living by Will Schwalbe and a children's picture book, A Child of Books by Oliver Jeffers and Sam Winston.

Both of these titles reflect the transformative power of reading and the pleasure that is found in sharing stories with others. Multiple copies of both books are available at the Library. There is also a special display of the books mentioned within Books for Living and A Child of Books on the main floor of the library, in front of the staircase.

The attendees of the lunchtime conversation each spoke about books they have recently enjoyed, or currently reading.  In case you missed the event, here is the booklist generated, with links to the library catalog so that you can check them out, or to WorldCat, so that you can request it through Interlibrary Loan (library service for Fairfield University staff, faculty and students):

1984 (print)  1984 (ebook)

All the Light We Cannot See

Aragon (juvenile fantasy series)

Being Mortal

Best American Short Stories (series)

The Book of Unknown Americans

Call Me Zelda

Commonwealth

In the Country We Love

Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie (juvenile fiction)

The End of Your Life Book Club

Glory Over Everything: Beyond the Kitchen House

H is for Hawk

Hillbilly Elegy

Going Home

The Immortal Life of Henriettea Lacks

Lesser Beasts

Lincoln in the Bardo

Loving Frank

Maus  (graphic novel)

The Mysterious Benedict Society (juvenile fiction)

The Nick Adams Stories  (read Indian Camp)

Mr. Pemunbra's 24 hr. Bookstore

Persepolis  (graphic novel)

Salt (print)  Salt (ebook)

Thank you for Being Late

The Underground Railroad

We the Animals

When Breath Becomes Air

When You Reach Me

Who's Who Series (juvenile series)

Wildwood (juvenile fantasy)

Wonder (juvenile fiction)

The One Book One Town book selections and the library lunchtime conversation about reading remind us of the connection that often happens when we ask someone the simple question: WHAT ARE YOU READING?